Thankful Thursday #91: why it’s good to be thankful

I’m kind of a freak of nature, not just in the normal freaky ways (like my coconut oil obsession and eating the same green beans every. single. day), but also because I’m so happy. It’s really hard to keep me down! People make fun of me and laugh at me (in a nice way) because I sing and whistle everywhere I go. As soon as I go into the break room or restroom at work, I usually start singing or whistling and I’ll hear someone out of view call out, “That has to be Veronica!” LOL! Yup, they have my number. I’m a happy girl.

**Embarrassing true story: recently I was listening to one of my favorite songs at work on the way to the restroom and just could not hold in the exuberance the song brings out in me. I was bouncing along all the way to the restroom since I didn’t see anyone else around, and as soon as I rounded the corner the energy busted out of me into spasmodic dance moves, my arms flying over my head and my hips swaying and feet stomping…and ran right into a co-worker. “Oh sorry, I just had to bust a move,” I laughed, and she looked at me like I was…well, the freak of nature that I am.**

In addition to being raised in a jolly family who found humor in the darkest situations, and the joy & peace I find in Christ and my faith, another big reason for my happiness are these Thankful Thursdays posts. I first started doing them right after Thanksgiving two years ago because I was so loaded with thankfulness from spending time with my family-in-law that I wanted to extend that state into my everyday life. (You can see my first Thanksgiving post here.) By keeping constantly focused on what I’m thankful for, the bad things are always tempered by how much good I find. And it makes the good things even bigger and better.

I was recently reading an article talking about how being thankful is proven to improve your health! So not only does counting your blessings cheer you up, it can improve your health and energy levels as well. As we’re coming up on the holiday devoted to giving thanks, I urge you to dig deep this year, write down as many as you can think of every day until Thanksgiving. Believe me, there are many bad days where I really don’t want to find anything to be thankful for, but I always force myself too. And guess what? I always feel better!

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! ~Psalm 107:1

Tell me something, anything, that you are thankful for right now. Whether it be little or big, I want to hear it! And I’ll start with mine: I’m thankful for my socks. My feet get so super cold in the winter, and I’m thankful I have thick fuzzy socks to warm them up because I’ve tried sleeping with cold feet and I can’t. Thank you big, fat, fuzzy neon pink socks!

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About Veronica

I have a kitchen addiction and love to collect & share recipes. My passion is baking but I love to cook as well. The only thing I don't like to do in the kitchen is wash dishes, but my husband generally does them for me in exchange for his dinner.

Thankful for a few days away from my man when he’s gone (like tonight) because it makes me realize how great I have it that he is around as much as he is! It is easy to take him and his self-less love for granted and this gives me a healthy shake in order to not do that. =)

Great perspective! I’ll try to feel less sorry for myself that I only see hubby on weekends now that he’s workign and we have opposite schedules. Hey, at least he’s working, I’m working, and yes, hopefully it helps us appreciate each other more to be apart! Still, it’s so hard!

Love your outlook, Veronica! Sometimes you truly just have to bust a move. Nothing wrong with that. Whenever I feel particularly grouchy, I like to remind myself, “Think of 10 things you’re grateful for! Go!” And I have to rattle them off in my brain as quickly as possible. Doing it fast like that always makes for some spontaneous answers, like, working at a job with a great vacation policy. It makes me appreciate things I take for granted!

I just knew you were my kind of gal! =) I truly believe life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you respond to what happens to you. I choose to see the bright side too…doesn’t happen 100% of the time, but much more often than not. I am so thankful for a nice warm home in these chilly, windy temps in NW Ohio. And for the sunshine whenever it shines! Thanks for giggles this morning…such a great post!

I love that Marsha! It’s so true. I can’t help but get annoyed when someone refuses to look for or at the bright side because of something bad that has befallen them. (Maybe I should work on that-lol.) We really do choose whether our life is good or bad.

Now I have that song “Bust a move” in my head. Not sure if that’s the name of it but, I’m sure you know what I mean. I like fun, goofy and spontaneous people, I try to be around them as much as possible. Negative Nellies (and I know a few) I tend to stay away from. Downers are no fun. You can see by what I post on fb that I love to laugh. I even laugh at life when it seems overwhelming! I agree with the post above me. I am thankful for the heat in my home. I can’t imagine being homeless and having try to stay warm. Being cold is miserable. I am thankful for the heat in my home, the electricity to run it and the roof over my head :)

P.S. I wrote this comment three times because somehow it kept disappearing, so I’m also thankful I did not break my computer into pieces….ha ha ha ha ha! ;)

Aw, that is so sweet and selfless to be thankful for that. I love people like you that instead of complaining about their load, are thankful that they are able to do it. But you do have a really good heart. Honestly, I would complain a LOT even though I often wish I could just move in with my parents to take care of them. I know I could help so much more. But they would drive me INSANE! lol

what a great reminder- i think i read an article about that thankfulness study recently….was it the one that talked the impact of being grateful & positive on your brain? anyways, right now i’m thankful that i can drive to work next week. campus is closed, so student parking is free. i usually ride the bus, so being able to leave when i please will be so nice!!

I’m so thankful that you are freaky and share it with your readers! I know I’m not alone. And I’m eternally grateful for what I do have, it’s a struggle sometimes to remind myself of all that is positive and not the negative. But I realize that time is wasted on negative thoughts and the positive ones are what keeps life in perspective.

If you are a freak, then the world needs more freaks like you. Can I clone you and put you to work here?

I hate to say it but I am thankful that our TV/computer/DVR/Recorder Manager/thingy is on the fritz. It is so peacefully quiet! The Hubs said last night that we would have to be like the Amish—without a TV. I was thankful! :)

Awwww, thanks Debra! What a unique thing to be thankful for, in this day and age, most people would be freaking without their technology. But it can be such a blessing to be without it for a while and enjoy the peace!

So true what you saw about being thankful. I try at least once a day to find something to be thankful for.On my worst days it might be merely the fact that I woke up. No matter how bad my day is remembering to be thankful shifts the focus from the negative to the positive.

You are truly an inspiration, my friend! I hope to be more like YOU!!!! Yesterday, I attended a funeral of a 59 year old woman, then a wake of a 55 year old woman….both moms…with kids in college…who fought bravely and valiantly against cancer. So I was reminded how blessed I am…and to be grateful for all the good things in my life…as we have no idea what challenges we’ll face ahead.

Well I’m kind of reserved until you get to know me, then watch out! I’m kind of embarrassing, I can’t control the volume of my laughter. Amen, Brittany, family and health are the most important things!